Chapter 35: A Little Trickery, a Lot of Gil, and a Bloody Lesson_Fantasy Realm

The market square is packed with people enjoying their day, and Alex can’t help but be impressed.

 “So many people, wow,” he thinks, looking around at the colorful residents of Alexandria. Some of them look strange, but he’s slowly getting used to it.

 Alex reaches the ticket booth, which, despite the crowded square, is... empty? He reads the notice beside the small, round building:

 “NOTICE The hit epic that captivated all of Lindblum, ‘I want to Be Your Canary,’ triumphantly returns to Alexandria on the Theater Ship Prima Vista! But this time, the performancememorates the sixteenth birthday of Her Highness, Princess Ga. Don’t miss it!

 Tickets avable at the ticket booth.”

 He approaches and sees a bored-looking animal hybrid man,mon in Alexandria, sitting behind the counter. The man brightens when he spots Alex.

 “Good day, son. Can I help you?” he asks with a weing smile.

 “Hello, sir. I’m new to Alexandria and interested in the uing performance. How much are tickets?”

 The man’s expression drops. “I’m sorry, but all tickets are already sold out.”

 Alex stares, a bit confused. “Aren’t there still weeks left until it happens? It must be really popr… too bad. Guess that doesn’t leave you much else to do until then, huh?”

 The ticketmaster sighs. “They sold out on day one, and since then, I’ve just been sitting here. The next performance doesn’t happen for weeks after I Want to Be Your Canary, and people barely show up for the other ys.”

 “Too bad; I really wanted to see it,” Alex says, acting disappointed, though he had assumed he wouldn’t be able to simply buy a ticket.

 “It’s too soon to give up. You’re a young man, and where there’s a will, there’s a way.” The man’s tone grabs Alex’s attention.

 “What do you mean, sir? Isn’t it sold out?”

 “I know the castle is recruiting workers to help set up for the event and secure the area during the performance,” the ticketmaster exins. “If you’re interested, you can leave your name. The recruitment starts two weeks before the y, so you have time to think it over. Don’t expect much pay, but hey, you might get a spot to stand and watch, even if you’ll still have a job to do on the day of the performance. That’s at least something, right?”

 Alex puts on a grateful smile. “That sounds great. Thank you so much! I’ll have to see if I can make it… I’m new here and desperately need a job. Thank you again for the tip. I’ll seriously consider it.”

 Side Quest Offered:

 Mission: Help prepare the castle for the uing y ‘I want to Be Your Canary’

 Reward: 150 gil per day and ess to the y as a helper, provided you don’t miss a single day of work.

 Time Limit: 2 Weeks before Princess Ga’s birthday

 Failure: Missing 2 consecutive days will result in dismissal, no penalty applied.

 Note: You can only ept a single position of employment at a time.

 Alex shakes his head. “Looks like I overestimated the Fantasy Realm. This is basically a surefire way to get into the castle. Just survive for two weeks, which shouldn’t be too hard if you sleep on the streets or find a cheap inn somewhere in the city. Afterwards this quest will handle all your expenses and get you into the castle.”

 He replies with a smile, “There’s still time. I’ll decide soon and return. Thanks for the tip, sir!”

 The ticketmasterughs, “No problem,d! Don’t miss this chance, the y this time will go down in the history books, I’m sure of it!”

 Alex nods to himself. “History books indeed… but not for the reasons you think, old man!”

 He figures this quest is a safety for newer yers, a straightforward way to ess the castle. But he’s convinced it offers the least rewards and the weakest starting position. He wonders how a stage helper could end up joining the main characters’ story. He decides he’ll only take this route if he can’t find something better. “Hell, I might just join Vivi and Puck on the day of the y and sneak in with them. Sticking with Vivi might be a smarter entry than as a mere stage helper.”

 The day passes in a sh, and Alex continues exploring Alexandria. While he doesn’t find any hidden items or secrets, he at least bes familiar with the city’syout.

 After thest two days, Alex knows the generalyout of Alexandria well and can find ces quickly if needed. He meets up with Jack at his “penthouse,” as Alex jokingly calls it. Jack is already back, grinning as he holds up a ridiculous-looking noble outfit in deep purple adorned with golden patterns.

 “Damn, that looks awful,” Alex blurts out.

 Jackughs, “Yep, that’s how you know it’s authentic!”

 The two head to one of Jack’s favorite bars, a ce Alex even recognizes from the game. “It’s definitely different from the boring side we see in the game,” he thinks, intrigued.

 Alex and Jack slip into a backroom with a sketchy atmosphere. Of course, Alex wears his [Jack’s Spare Silvery Mask], no way is he risking his hidden quest by being exposed as a scammer and conman.

 Guided by Jack, who ys the role of a subservientckey, Alex acts the part of a real noble: arrogant, out of ce, and dripping with disdain for the “lowly” bar. Their fake games begin, and soon enough, they draw in spectators. In just an hour, Alex has lost his entire stash of rare cards and gil that Jack gave him before they entered. Thest game involves a hefty bet of 3,000 gil.

 Alex pretends to be furious, and Jack, with a quick excuse, bolts from the bar. The sulking Alex is immediately approached by several other yers eager to challenge him.

 Alex, still acting the part of the indignant noble, snaps, "I''m in a bad mood and only want a few more high-stakes games to win back what I lost! That four-armed swindler only won by cheating!" He ims loudly, though anyone watching would know it was a tant lie.

 “This actually went a little too smoothly… I guess I just need to win now. If Jack’s right, these are only mediocre yers. Let’s do this!”

 One hour and 17,500 gilter, Alex is sweating. Jack’s scheme is almost too effective, and the sum he’s umted is making him nervous. With each win, he notices the other yers eyeing him more suspiciously, no doubt irritated by the masked “noble” who lost miserably to Jack but somehow managed to trounce everyone else.

 “Enough,” Alex decides. “This is more than enough, and risking it all for one more win isn’t worth it. Time to… RUN!”

 Feigning a slur, Alex says, “Be right back, just heading to the bathroom.” He slips out of the backroom, bypasses the restroom entirely, and heads straight out of the bar into a nearby alley. But as he makes his escape, he realizes he’s being followed by three people, one of whom is one of his recent “victims.”

 They break into a sprint, closing the distance and surrounding him. The leader, sneering, growls, "You cheater! Hand back our money, or your own mother won’t recognize your face when we’re through with you."

 Alex’s smile doesn’t waver. Coolly, he faces the leader, drawing his [Solid Marine Saber], which, to his surprise, perfectly suits his noble disguise.

 “Do you think a pathetic gambler who underestimated his opponent and two lowlife thugs can intimidate me?” Alexughs, his voice icy. In a sh, he sprints forward, grabs the leader in a chokehold, and presses the edge of his saber to the man’s throat. “Tonight, I gave you so many lessons. Instead of paying attention and learning something useful, you fixate on your pitiful loss of gil. I don’t appreciate that.”

 The man’s bravado fades. He starts to sob, pleading, “I’m sorry, please… I was wrong.”

 With a measured breath, Alex releases his grip, removing the de from the man’s neck, and stands in front of him, a cold, piercing look visible through his mask. “Now, get lost.”

 A faint red sh crosses Alex’s vision, a subtle flicker from his ne, though it feels weaker than he expects. Dismissing it, he turns, only to sense movement behind him. The man, having retrieved a dagger, lunges with a desperate snarl.

 “Damn, I wanted to avoid this,” Alex mutters, half-expecting the betrayal.

 Thanks to his skills, [Basic Footwork] lvl 1 and [Basic Close Combat Prowess] lvl 1, Alex sidesteps the reckless thrust. The attacker stumbles, leftpletely exposed. Alex hesitates for a moment before he steels himself, thinking, “Throw away your damn weakness and hesitation. This guy wants to kill you!”

 Alex plunges his saber directly into the man’s neck, locking eyes with his shocked target.

 You have dealt 18 x 3 = 54 damage to Drepa

 You have killed Drepa

 Instead of pausing, Alex rushes toward the two henchmen, whose wide-eyed expressions mirror their disbelief at their leader''s swift demise.

 You have dealt 16 damage to henchman 1

 You have dealt 18 damage to henchman 2

 Taking advantage of their shock, Alex follows through with precise strikes, delivering a few more decisive blows to his panicked, wounded foes.

 You have dealt 20 damage to henchman 1

 You have dealt 16 damage to henchman 1

 You have killed henchman 1

 The second henchman, realizing the danger, attempts to flee. He manages only a few frantic steps before a familiar figure with zing red hair intercepts him. With a brutal strike from his two-handed sword, Jacknds a devastating blow, swiftly driving two daggers into the man’s neck and chest, silencing him instantly.

 Alex notices a white chest appearing above Drepa’s lifeless form. With a grin, he picks it up, and he and Jack slip off into the darkness, leaving behind only three bloody corpses in the quiet street.

 You received Chest (White)

 Back at Jack’s "penthouse," Alex hands over the bag of gil, and they celebrate their little heist with some cheap alcohol Jack pulls out from under his mattress.

 Jack counts the gil with a calcting look, muttering, “Let’s see… this much for the bar staff who kept quiet, a bit for interest on the loaned gil, and something for the dress rental.” Satisfied, he tosses a smaller bag to Alex.

 You received 5,000 gil

 Side Questpleted:

 Mission: Help Jack in his Tetra master scheme

 Reward: 5,000 gil, friendship increase with Alleyway Jack, permanent ownership of [Jack’s Spare Silvery Mask]

 Alex grins, raising his drink, “d to be working with you,” pleased with his share. It was easy money, and he also gained a valuable lesson about strength and mercy with those who mean him harm. Still, his real prize is the chest he managed to grab.@@novelbin@@

 [Chest]

 Quality: White

 Level: 1

 Note: Dropped by a Drepa

 He opens it and sees a few notifications.

 You received 300 Fantasy Coins.

 You received Barbed Dagger

 [Barbed Dagger]

 World: Final Fantasy 9

 Quality: Light Green

 Type: Dagger 

 Required Stats: AGI - 5

 Durability: 30/30

 Damage: 6-12

 Effect: Devious barbs – Increases the chance to cause a bleeding and enhances both it’s damage and duration by 20% 

 Note: A rather ordinary-looking dagger, aside from the cruel, vicious barbs lining the de.

 "Jackpot! Light Green quality out of a white chest!" Alex exims, grinning as he celebrates his luck.

 Alex Kerber:Lvl 1

 HP: 80/80, MP: 80/80

 STR: 7, AGI: 7, PHY: 7, SNS: 7, CHA: 7, MNA: 7, INT: 7 SPR: 7, LUK: 7

 Avable Stat Points: 0

 Innate Skills: Genius Conjurer lvl 1, Statistical OCD lvl MAX

 Free Skill Slots: 1/2, Free Basic Skill Slots: 0/8

 Basic skills: Basic Close Combat Prowess lvl 1, Basic Footwork lvl 1, Basic Endurance lvl 1, Basic Long-Range Combat Prowess lvl 1, Basic Eloquence lvl 1, Basic Concentration lvl 1, Basic Meditation lvl 1, Basic Mana Control lvl 1

 Passive Skills: Pistol Proficiency lvl 1

 Active Skills: Annihtion Grenade lvl 1

 Fantasy Coins: 600 Soul Crystals: Small x1 Gil: 7700

 Current Weapons: Mr. 5’s Revolver (Downgraded) (Deep Blue), Solid Marine Saber (Light Green), Barbed Dagger (Light Green)

 Current Equipment: Commander Shepard’s Dog Tag (Deep Blue),Navalia Fur Armor (White), Navalia Fur Boots (White), Navalia Fur Gauntlets (White) 

 Misceneous Items: Navalia Wolf Jerky x4 (Gray), Healing Potion x2 (White), Freshly baked Pumpkin bread x 3 (Gray), Various cards x36 (Mix) Jack’s Spare Silvery Mask (Light Green)

 Jack and Alex celebrate their sess, clinking sses of cheap liquor under the dim light of the ‘Penthouse.’ Laughter fills the tiny space as they recount their scheme, each jab and bluff that led to their payout. After a few hours of revelry, the adrenaline starts to fade, leaving Alex pleasantly tired.

 He stretches, feeling the weight of both the gil and his new dagger safely tucked into his inventory. “Think I’ll crash here again tonight if that’s alright, Jack,” he says, ncing at the makeshift bed in the corner.

 Jack grins, raising his drink. “Stay as long as you want, my friend.”

 With a smile, Alex settles into a cozy corner, hoping for a smooth path through his hidden quest tomorrow.

21Novel

Chapter 35: A Little Trickery, a Lot of Gil, and a Bloody Lesson